


Making Changes

by violetdelights



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt, Jealousy, Love, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-01 23:23:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4038535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetdelights/pseuds/violetdelights
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robert’s been busy building bridges at Home Farm, and left unaware that Aaron’s gone out and found someone new.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This is set now, after Robert has moved back in with Chrissie and is trying to make their marriage work.
> 
> Hope you enjoy.  
> x

One month.  
  
It had been one month since Robert had spoken to Aaron, give or take a few days. But that was his fault alone, and he knew that.  
  
Since reconciling with Chrissie, it has been difficult… to say the very least. They’d spent the last month hauled up at Home Farm; arguing, talking and arguing some more. It had taken time but they’d finally found some common ground. Chrissie was still somewhat wary around him, but they were close to finding normality again and that was all that mattered.  
  
_She_ was all that mattered.  
  
That’s what Robert was trying to convince himself anyway.

 

\- - -

 

They were still in the honeymoon period.  
  
Then again, that was to be expected considering they’d only been ‘together’ for a little over three weeks now.  
  
The whole thing had been quick, sudden and rushed. After a drunken meeting at _Bar West_ , they’d gone back to his flat and taken advantage of each other’s dizzy, drunken state of mind. Sloppy and fun, but satisfying, nonetheless.  
  
Liam Morgan wasn’t Aaron’s typical type. But he wasn’t tall, blonde and arrogant either – so that was enough in his eyes. What Liam Morgan was, Aaron worked out during their second encounter – the morning after – was Welsh, fit and surprisingly sensitive. He was also roughly the same height as Aaron, buff, and a substitute teacher at the local high school. He taught Physical Education, unsurprisingly.  
  
The fact he was a teacher actually made him all the more attractive.  
  
_And he is attractive_ , Aaron could admit – though who was he to be biased, since he’d just slept with the guy?  
  
Liam had green eyes, that sort of olive skin tone that seemed to magically tan without ever burning and a cheeky smile that just about removed the top layer of Aaron’s skin.  
  
They had connected instantly. They were rather similar, which was refreshing. And after their first date, the night of the morning after, they’d decided to go back to the pub so Liam could meet Chas and Paddy. When you know its right, you know, Liam had said proudly as Chas watched on with a satisfied smile. As long as his name wasn’t Robert-flaming-Sugden, she didn’t mind in the slightest.  
  
“He’s nice,” Paddy agreed, but the look on his face contradicted his words.  
  
“What is it, Paddy?”  
  
“Well, and don’t bite my head off-” Paddy adjusted his glasses nervously “-Don’t you think he’s a bit too nice?”  
  
He couldn’t win. Would anyone ever be good enough for them?  
  
But he got what Paddy meant. Liam was quite straight forward in the personality department, quite bland even. Surely too nice would be a 'nice' change though?  
  
And by the end of their first week together, they were boyfriend and boyfriend. By the second they were genuinely considering finding a place together.  
  
When Chas had questioned him about it, suggesting it was the most ridiculous idea she’d ever heard, Aaron had lost his temper. “I can’t live with you forever,” he’d snapped. “You know I was going to move out eventually.”  
  
By the third week they’d reached the ‘overbearing, can’t-keep-our-hands-off-each-other faze, which even wiped the smile off Chas’ face. She wanted to see her son happy but she didn’t want to see it as she tried to serve punters and Aaron was on his lunch break.  
  
But, despite all that, now they were here. A little over three weeks.  
  
Aaron and Liam were still happy, as was to be expected, and the honeymoon period was still in full swing. Even Aaron was beginning to think he was overcompensating, but that doubt was easy to bury and ignore when he hadn’t seen a certain someone in so long. (A month and three days, but who was counting?)  
  
Liam was good. He made Aaron happy and their relationship was refreshingly easy.  
  
Robert Sugden didn’t matter anymore.  
  
Robert Sugden definitely didn’t matter.

 

\- - -

 

Victoria Sugden had planned a double date. She’d had a stressful day at work and needed to unwind with her friends, maybe even go out into town afterwards for a few drinks.  
  
But it wasn’t a double date, not technically.  
  
It was a double date and a fifth wheel.  
  
Victoria plonked herself down next to Adam, who was sat in one corner of the pub, wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek as Liam, Aaron and Finn watched on. “So, did I miss anything?”  
  
She’d just popped home to get changed after a twelve-hour shift.  
  
“Just some riveting sport-related conversation.” Finn’s voice was sour, but he shot a smile at his best friend. “Not worth mentioning really.”  
  
“Sounds fun,” Victoria drawled. She released her boyfriend and reached out for her wine glass. “I could really do with a few drinks away from the prying eyes of my boss. You lot up for town?”  
  
“ _Bar West_ and I’m sold,” said Liam.  
  
“I’m with him on that,” Finn raised his glass and took a sip.  
  
Victoria glanced at Adam, who shrugged. “I’ll take that as a yes? Don’t try and smile, babe, your face might crack.”  
  
Adam frowned. “Huh?”  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine,” he snapped.  
  
It wouldn’t have taken a genius to figure out he was lying.  
  
Oblivious to the tension, Liam turned to Aaron, squeezing his knee as he did so. “You up for it then?”  
  
Equally oblivious, but not to the conversation, Aaron was staring across the room to where Chrissie was enjoying a red wine with her dad. They were sat in the corner, taking amongst themselves, and Aaron couldn’t help but wonder where Robert was. Why wasn’t he with them?  
  
He could always ask Victoria, that was the obvious solution, but then she’d want to know why he was suddenly so interested in her older brother. And that was a conversation Aaron didn’t want to have. Ever.  
  
When Liam spoke, Aaron blinked in surprise and turned to him. “Huh?” was all he could say.  
  
Liam arched an eyebrow, something he was particularly good at. “Are you ok?” he asked. “You seem distracted.”  
  
“I’m fine.”  
  
Looking doubtful, Liam shrugged. “Well, if you’re sure.”  
  
Across from them, Victoria clapped her hands. “Fantastic. Right, you lot, get this round down your necks and I’ll book us a taxi.” Her face lit up and she gestured at Adam’s phone. He’d clearly be the one dealing with the transport, not her.  
  
Liam was still staring at Aaron, a curious expression on his face.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Aaron hissed impatiently. He’d have to be brain-dead to not feel Liam’s eyes burning holes into the side of his face.  
  
Liam frowned now. “C’mon, you,” was all he said. “Out back, I want to talk.”  
  
“That sounds serious,” Aaron muttered, but he still followed his boyfriend outside. Apparently ‘out back’ didn’t mean the back room like Aaron had thought he meant. Liam meant outside, in the car park.  
  
It was a clear night; stars could be seen in the sky if Aaron bothered to avert his eyes upwards, which he didn’t. Instead, with a sour expression on his face, he let Liam lead them to a spot just away from the front door. And as Liam continued to stare at him, like he was some sort of particularly hard riddle that needed figuring out, he leant back against the cold, concrete wall.  
  
Outside, with the brisk air stinging his cheeks, his mind seemed to drift to a place he didn’t want it to.  
  
Robert Sugden.  
  
What was wrong with him? Aaron was stood here with Liam, a really _good_ guy, but that didn’t seem to matter in the slightest. Aaron couldn’t just settle for simple, or good. He wanted it all. He wanted the bad, frustrating and exciting because it kept him on his toes.  
  
For fuck’s sake.  
  
“Are you having second thoughts about this whole moving in malarkey?” Liam blurted out. “I understand, you know? It’s sudden and we’re just starting out-”  
  
“It’s not that.”  
  
“Then what is it?” Liam closed the gap between them and one hand reached up to gently, surprisingly, stroke his cheek. Aaron flinched, taken aback by the gesture, but as quickly as the shock appeared, Liam let his hand fall back to his side. “I’m scared as well, Aaron, it’s a big change, but you need to tell me if you’re second guessing because that’s ok-”  
  
“I’m not,” he insisted.  
  
"I’m not stupid, I know that something’s wrong.”  
  
“Yeah, but it’s not that.”  
  
A panicked look flickered across Liam’s features, shining in his eyes. “So there is something. What is it?”  
  
That was the moment.  
  
It was Aaron’s cue to open up and admit the truth. He could tell Liam that he was still having mixed feelings about another man. Or he could lie and be selfish and happy.  
  
But Liam was so nice and he didn’t want to hurt him.  
  
It didn’t matter how much Aaron loved Robert because Robert had made himself pretty clear. His wife meant everything. Chrissie and that life meant everything, and Aaron would never be enough.  
  
Aaron was enough for Liam.  
  
It didn’t even matter that Aaron still loved Robert because he’d get over that eventually. All that mattered was that Liam Morgan was real; he was stood right in front of him and completely willing to give him absolutely everything that Robert couldn’t. Maybe he’d learn how to be in love with him?  
  
Aaron’s mind was already made up.  
  
“You’re scaring me,” Liam mumbled, shifting awkwardly from foot to foot.  
  
“Alright, fine, it is because we’re moving so quickly,” said Aaron, shaking his head in disbelief. “It’s… overwhelming.”  
  
Liam looked relieved. And when Aaron playfully pushed him til his back was against the wall, he gave a tentative smile. “So you still want this, right?” He paused, hesitating. “You still want me?”  
  
“Why the hell wouldn’t I, eh?” Aaron murmured, and then he let his mouth take over.  
  
Kissing, fucking, it was so much easier than talking anyway.

 

\- - -

 

Robert saw it.  
  
He saw it all.  
  
Kissing a brunette like it was the very last kiss he’d ever have, was Aaron. He had the stranger pressed against the wall, his hands on his neck, and the stranger’s hands were hidden by the material of Aaron’s hoodie as they rested on his waist.  
  
Robert felt sick.  
  
Frozen to the spot, Robert couldn’t help but wonder if this was how Aaron felt every time he saw him and Chrissie together. It hurt. It really hurt. But, more than anything else, it made him feel angry because he didn’t want anyone else touching Aaron. He was selfish, sure, but the thought of anyone else touching Aaron made his heart stop.  
  
Silence rang in his ears and it took every ounce of strength in him for Robert to turn around and walk into the pub. He knew that no matter how much Chrissie wittered on about Lachlan, or business, or her father’s health, he wouldn’t be able to rid himself of the mental image of Aaron latched onto some random guy. Some guy that wasn't him.  
  
Aaron had moved on.  
  
Aaron had found someone else.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robert and Aaron come face to face.

It took Robert all of five minutes to find out the name of the random guy whose mouth Aaron had been exploring. As soon as he entered the pub, he said hello to Chrissie and made his way to the bar, almost knocking over a spruced up Victoria on the way.  
  
“Watch it, you,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes at him. She tilted her head. “I haven’t seen you around much lately.”  
  
“I’ve been busy with Chrissie-”  
  
“Oh, _no_ , don’t want to hear,” Victoria said quickly, shuddering. But her face softened, nonetheless. “I’m happy to hear you’ve managed to work things out, Robert.”  
  
“Well, it didn’t take her long to realise she can't cope without me,” Robert teased. A smirk danced on his lips, and he looked down at his little sister's outfit. “You and Adam off out then?”  
  
“Of course.” She nodded over to their table. “Finn, Aaron and his new fella’ as well. I would invite you but I don’t think it’s your scene and I wouldn’t like to keep you from your wife.”  
  
Robert clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to scowl at the mention of Aaron's new bloke. He wished he could ask his sister abut the guy. Victoria would know what he spoke about, what made him laugh, what made him tick, and if Robert knew all that then maybe he could understand what had made Aaron fall for him.  
  
What was so special about him?  
  
“New fella’,” Robert mused, nodding his head thoughtfully. The words tasted like acid on his tongue. “Don’t tell me, yet another grease monkey?”  
  
“No, Liam’s a teacher actually - Aaron and a teacher, who’d have thought it, eh?”  
  
Robert forced out a laugh, though his jaw was locked and his teeth were gritted by this point.  
  
“Anyway, our taxi should be here soon so I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah? Come in for lunch or something,” said Victoria, shooting him a quick smile before dashing off to speak with Diane.  
  
Robert really needed to talk to Aaron now.  
  
He wasn’t sure what he was going to say, or what he even wanted to say, but he knew he needed to say something. Their last conversation had been anything but civil, on both their parts, but that didn’t matter right now.  
  
Robert regretted it, just like he regretted about ninety-nine per cent of his life choices, and he needed to do something about it. Get the situation, if he could call it that, under control again.  
  
Chas slapped his pint in front of him, a smug smile on her face – _surprise, surprise_ – and Robert shot a sarcastic one back.  
  
She probably loved this, loved that Aaron had moved on once and for all.  
  
From their table, Chrissie gestured at Robert to get a move on by tapping at her watch before she rolled her eyes, flicked her hair over her shoulder and turned back to Lawrence, looking disgruntled as she spoke to him in hushed tones. Turning slightly, Robert looked over at Aaron, who was smiling and laughing at something Finn had just said.  
  
He knew who he would rather be spending the evening with.  
  
  
\- - -  
  
  
Robert had seen Liam go through to the back of the pub, not that long after Aaron had gone to the gents. Throwing caution to the wind, he had waited a few minutes before following him on through.  
  
He was so annoyed that he really didn’t care how suspicious it looked.  
  
Liam was rustling through newspapers and magazines on the coffee table, his eyebrows furrowed together as he searched for something and came up unsuccessful.  
  
“You alright there, mate?” said Robert, announcing his presence from where he was stood, leaning against the doorframe. He stood up straight, stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, his eyes on Liam as the man looked up and met his gaze.  
  
“Oh, hi.” He looked confused. “Sorry to be blunt and everything but… who are you?”  
  
“Robert Sugden. This is my stepmum’s pub.”  
  
The guarded look on the other man’s face fell away and a smile lit it up instead. Dimples appeared on his bronze cheeks and Robert slowly began to realise that his looks had clearly contributed to the attraction.  
  
Robert struggled to keep the smile from slipping off his face.  
  
“You’re Vic’s sister then?” Liam added helpfully. “It’s nice to meet you.”  
  
“Yeah, you too.” Robert tilted his head to the side slightly, acting like he was trying to remember who Liam was. “Sorry, I'm just having trouble placing your face-”  
  
"I’m Liam,” he said, chucking breezily. “We haven’t met before, in fact I’ve only just moved in here recently.”  
  
Shock made Robert’s blood run cold and now he really did frown, unable to fight it any longer. “Wait, you actually live _here_? In the _pub_?”  
  
“Yeah,” Liam said slowly, one eyebrow rising at the sudden outburst. “I’m with Chas’ son, Aaron. We’re looking into finding somewhere together so my flat’s being packed up. It’s like a war zone at the moment. Inhabitable,” he added cheerily.  
  
Had Aaron gone insane?  
  
He’d been with this random guy for little under a month and now they were house hunting? Was this some sort of sick joke?  
  
Liam was staring at him expectantly so Robert swallowed the boulder-sized lump that had gathered in his throat. “Sorry, I was just surprised Diane had invited someone else to stay with her. That’s great news for you both though, mate.”  
  
“Yeah it is,” said Liam. He gestured back at the coffee table, where he’d just been rummaging, but it was clearly a hint for Robert to leave. “Sorry, I was just trying to find my phone. Were you looking for Diane? I think she’s upstairs.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll just talk to her when she comes down then.” He paused. “Thanks.”  
  
“No problem.”  
  
Robert turned round and walked back out, feeling even more deflated than when he'd entered.  
  
It was clearly more serious than he’d originally thought.  
  
  
\- - -  
  
  
“I don’t know what this flamin’ taxis playing at,” Victoria snarled, carelessly tossing her phone on the table as she sank back into her seat after yet another failed attempt to locate their transportation for the night. “Said it would be here half an hour ago but it’s still nowhere to be seen.”  
  
It was now gone eleven and Aaron had been on edge the entire night because they were still sat in the corner of the pub, waiting to leave. It was awkward, and he was hoping that Liam hadn’t noticed how quiet he’d become since Robert had walked in.  
  
“Have you tried phoning for another one?” Liam asked, still as cheerful as ever - so clearly he hadn’t.  
  
“Course I have, but operator said they won’t send out another until they find the location of the original one. God, this nights turning into a disaster.”  
  
“Why don’t we just stay here? It’d sure be easier,” Finn suggested. Victoria shot a glare at him, he averted his eyes and picked up his drink before murmuring, “maybe not then,” before taking a sip.  
  
“He’s got a point though, Vic?” Adam pointed out carefully, “and I’ve just bought myself another pint.”  
  
Aaron, who’d been continuing to glare at Robert from across the room, jerked back to attention at that. There was no way he was staying in a pub where Robert Sugden was close by and his mother was standing behind the bar, one eye on the customers and the other on him. There was absolutely no chance. He’d end up wanting to commit grievous bodily harm if he stayed any longer. The fact that he didn’t want Robert to meet Liam was another motivator for why he wanted to be anywhere else, too.  
  
It sounded like his own personal hell.  
  
He jumped up like his seat was on fire and snatched his phone from his pocket as he did. “I’ll, uh, give another firm a call. There’s bound to be something nearby that can drop us into town.”  
  
Before anyone could argue, Aaron shot to the front door and darted outside.  
  
If they couldn’t get a taxi then he’d drive them there himself if he had to.  
  
  
\- - -  
  
  
“-What time will you be here by?” Aaron asked, scuffing the tip of his shoe against the gravel on the floor as he listened to the operator on the other end of the line speak. Nodding, he said, “Twenty past? Right, ok, perfect, thanks.”  
  
He hung up and glanced at the wall he’d had Liam pressed up against earlier. He sighed.  
  
Everything was so messed up and confusing. He wanted it to be simple, he wanted to be happy and he knew if he wanted all that then Liam was the right choice.  
  
Liam _was_ the right choice.  
  
When Robert was near it was hard to think clearly, to make sense of things in his head and keep them from getting muddled. When they were apart, it was far simpler. He could step back, be objective and reason everything away.  
  
Robert wasn’t good for him. They hadn’t worked out and there was a reason for that. It was about time Aaron just accepted it.  
  
Behind him, the pub door opened, and Aaron paid it no attention until he heard footsteps on the gravel that seemed to come to a halt right behind him.  
  
He already knew who it was without turning round.  
  
“Hi, Aaron,” came the all too familiar voice and when Aaron turned around he was met by the full force of… well, Robert.  
  
  
\- - -  
  
  
Aaron was silent for a few seconds. He looked at Robert, trying to figure out what he was thinking but coming up short. An expressionless look took residence on his face; unreadable and solid.  
  
Aaron knew him better than that. He was angry.  
  
“I’m guessing you’ve met him then?” Aaron said, breaking the awkward tension that had gathered round them like a cloud.  
  
“Liam?” Robert continued to stare blankly at him. “You could say so, yeah.”  
  
“Look, maybe I should have told you about him, but you seem to have fallen off the face of the earth recently,” said Aaron, “and anyway, it’s been really sudden.”  
  
“Yeah."  
  
Aaron fidgeted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say next.  
  
It was weird being so distant with Robert, Aaron decided, but they could hardly be the way they used to be. It was always going to be like this from here on out; tense and uncomfortable, because that’s the way that they’d made it.  
  
Aaron sighed and buried his hands in his pocket. “This is for the best, eh? You’re with Chrissie and I can be happy with someone else. We can both move on now, get on with our lives. No hard feelings, like you said.”  
  
“Yeah," Robert said again.  
  
“I’ve never seen you at such a loss for words.”  
  
“I’m just surprised.”  
  
“At what?” Aaron frowned, feeling slightly defensive. “That I’ve managed to move on from you?”  
  
“Moved on?” Robert scoffed. “Right, if _that's_ what you're calling it.”

“Right,” Aaron insisted, his frown deepening. “We’re over. That was my decision, remember?”  
  
Robert closed the gap between them until he was standing right in front of Aaron, so close that he could hear his breath and see the faint freckles dotted on the bridge of his nose. “Oh, c’mon.” He paused, the corner of his mouth twitching into something smug that resembled a smile. “It’s never really over between us, is it?”  
  
It would have been so easy for Aaron to fall back into the rut, their never ending cycle of endless disappointment and angst, but the smile on Robert’s face didn’t turn his stomach like it usually did, not this time. It just fed the anger brewing inside him now.  
  
“This time it is over, mate,” Aaron snapped, pushing a surprised Robert away. “You need to back off, alright?”  
  
Quickly recovering, a defensive look took over the older man's face. He frowned, his eyes narrowing.  
  
“Your wife is waiting for you in there,” Aaron continued, his tone losing it’s hard edge. He nodded towards the entrance of the pub before meeting Robert’s glare again. “Do the right thing for once. Go back in there, order a pint, and stay away from me. Stay away from Liam.”  
  
Aaron increased the distance between them, shot Robert a meaningful glare and turned away.  
  
He’d rejected him.  
  
Aaron had _actually_ rejected him.  
  
Robert opened his mouth as if to speak but nothing came out. What could he say? What could he do?  
  
Clearly his mind was already made up this time and a quick fumble-around outside the local boozer wasn’t going to win him over.  
  
As Robert watched the retreating back of the local mechanic as he made his way back inside, an idea began to form in his head.  
  
An idea that would make Aaron realise he couldn’t just ‘move on’ so easily.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the support I received on the first part, I was really taken aback! I hope you enjoy this part just as much.
> 
> Also wanted to say that I am planning on having Victoria find out about Vanessa's baby in this story, that is being brought in eventually, but in a different way than it was on the show.  
> x


End file.
